This American idiom means "to have experience, to have seen the world." It originated at the beginning of the 19th century. The elephant is only a metaphor, referring to something exotic or unusual, just as what would be seen by a person who has a lot of travel experience. There is an equivalent idiom in British English: to have seen the lions.

Esta frase norteamericana significa "tener experiencia, haber visto el mundo". Se originó a comienzos del siglo XX. El elefante es solamente una metáfora, que se refiere a algo exótico o inusual, como lo que vería una persona que tiene mucha experiencia de viajes. Existe una frase equivalente en inglés británico: to have seen the lions.